On Sunday 30th March (Mothering Sunday) British Summer Time begins - the clocks go forward an hour and the days get longer with lighter nights! The perfect time to take a short break on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond! Set in the heart of Scotland's first National Park, you can stay in a five-star luxury hotel, a self-catering lodge or a remote hideaway. Take a spring break, enjoy the Easter weekend - 18th April (Good Friday) to 21st April (Easter Monday) and visit Loch Lomond Short Breaks

Homecoming 2014

In 2014, Scotland welcomes the world to join in the exciting Year of Homecoming. In addition to the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup, there's our year-long programme of events and activities to showcase all that's great about Scotland; mouth-watering food & drink events, lots to get you active in our great outdoors plus spectacular arts, cultural and ancestral heritage to explore. Whenever you come and wherever you visit, you’ll be very welcome so join us and be part of Homecoming Scotland 2014!

Tartan Day 2014

From Andrew Carnegie, the industrialist and philanthropist to Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, Scots have made an enormous contribution to American life. In recognition of the their involvement in the development of America, the United States Senate passed a resolution in March 1998 proclaiming April 6th as National Tartan Day. (The Declaration of Arbroath which gave Scotland its independence was signed on this date in 1320). Find out more about Tartan Day 2014 celebrations in America and Scotland. For more events happening this spring around the national park check out What's On at Loch Lomond

Walking for Scotland's children with the Sunday Post on Sunday 27th April

Last spring, nearly 3,000 people took part in the KiltWalk from Glasgow to Loch Lomond and around £750,000 was raised for Scotland's children. This year, the KiltWalk is back and it's going to be bigger and better than ever!
A few changes - with Hampden Park being developed for the Commonwealth Games, we've moved our start to the SECC, so you'll set off from two of Glasgow's most iconic landmarks - the Armadillo and the SSE Hydro. This also means that the walk is slightly shorter at 23 miles.

Spring Competition

Win two nights stay at the Hill View Bed & Breakfast in Killearn

The village of Killearn nestles beneath the Campsie Fells and overlooks the Kilpatrick Hills. Hill View B&B is located approximately 15 miles north of Glasgow and 7 miles east of Loch Lomond.

The village of Killearn is the ideal place to stay when visiting central Scotland. The Glengoyne Whisky Distillery, the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park and the West Highland Way long-distance footpath are all situated close to the village.

The countdown to the Commonwealth Games stepped up on the 10th of March when the Glasgow 2014 clock was switched on.
Hampden Park, Scotland's National Football Stadium, located on the South Side, will be the main venue for Athletics and the Closing Ceremony, while Celtic Park, located in the East End, will be used for the Opening Ceremony on the 23rd July.

If you are attending the Glasgow Commonweath Games 2014 this summer between July 23rd and August 3rd and having difficulty finding accommodation why not escape the city and Visit Loch Lomond in the heart of Scotland's first National Park. Loch Lomond is within easy reach of Glasgow by car and also has bus and train links.

Stirling 2014

The city of Stirling will be celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.

A range of events will be occurring in the city including a re-enactment of the battle on the battlefield in the nearby village of Bannockburn.

A new visitor centre about the Battle of Bannockburn has recently opened at the battle site near Stirling. The centre will help people learn about the battle and will feature 10 digital characters from both Robert the Bruce and Edward II's armies, who will interact with visitors using gesture recognition technology.

Over a 200 year period, the Great Trossachs Forest will stretch over 160 square kilometres at the heart of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. This unique landscape-scale project is one of the most significant native woodland projects in the UK for a generation. The project has brought together Forestry Commission Scotland, Woodland Trust Scotland and RSPB Scotland with multi-national company BP to achieve a shared vision for the area.

This is a ‘forest in the making’ where habitats are being restored to create a continuous area managed for the benefit of wildlife and people. For many people, a ‘forest’ conjures images of fairly dense trees, but a native Scottish forest is made up of wooded and more open areas. It is this ‘mosaic‘ of habitats which invertebrates, mammals, birds and other wildlife need to thrive. Spring is a fantastic time to visit the forests in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park!

Get On Your Bike - New Cycle Path in the National Park

A new cycle path from Strathyre to Kingshouse has been announced by Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown. The £¾m funding will be allocated to Sustrans Scotland who will work with the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and Forestry Commission Scotland to construct the 3.5km cycle path.Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park will also provide match funding for the new path between the two villages.

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs area of Scotland has superb cycling routes and you will find gentle cycle paths and strenuous routes for all ages and abilities. Popular cycling routes include The West Loch Lomond Cycle Path which runs along the western shore of Loch Lomond and is part of the National Cycle Network.

John Muir Way Opens This Spring

First Minister Alex Salmond will open the new long distance walking route The John Muir Wayon April 21st this spring. The trail is named after the Scottish-born environmentalist John Muir who emigrated to the United States and made his name as the founding father of American national parks. The John Muir Way runs from his birthplace in Dunbar, East Lothian to Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute.

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." John Muir, father of National Parks.